Nepeta's Ships
by Terenani Potentia
Summary: (HumanAU) Neyomi is an orphan who just got adopted by the nicest pair of people. She's moving into a big city, where hopes seem to skyrocket. That is, until she uncovers the blood-covered past that still threatens her friends today. But nothing is wrong with risking your life for the people you love, right?
1. Loading the Ships!

Lush green hills roll past your wide eyes, trying to drink in every minute detail of the landscape before it flits out of view beyond the car window. Right now you're driving towards your new house, deep in the heart of the suburbs. You've never been to a real town before, much less a thriving city. You've always lived on the outskirts of L.A., viewing the narrow silhouettes of soaring planes fly over your dreary orphanage from afar. Not much could be said about it,really; no one abused you or anything, but it's not like they were that friendly either. Since you're a hardcore otaku, resting on the precipice of weeabooness, you found it hard to connect to the other orphans, who most likely were too young to watch anything like that or much too old for you to have the confidence to walk up to. Being an excessively short, cat-like thirteen-year-old doesn't seem to have its benefits.

Suddenly the car jerks; you're tossed against the big-boned orphanage boss with a muffled ''Sorry''. The lady just keeps on driving, only passing a forced, thin-lipped smile to you for a moment. You sometimes try to think that somewhere in there is a kind heart, but it's hard when she acts so indifferent around all the young orphans who are already broken by having no parents. It makes you want to leap into the backseat, curl into a tight ball, and wait for this achingly long drive to be over.

_ Parents._

The word leaves a sour feeling behind. You never really knew your parents, as usual. But you wonder if they had complex relationships that forced them to leave you on the doorstep of the lonely orphanage on a cold, rainy night. It would make a wonderful love story, maybe even alleviate the knot that forms in your throat when you think about how they just left you there, all alone...

Tall figures rise from the horizon, snapping you back to you're surrounded by the noises of a thriving city. ''Meowtastic...'' is all you could utter as bright yellow cabs zoomed by, followed by an array of fantastically colored cars, even limousines! Your heart is pounding at the sight of all the flashing beauty, at the sheer number of people. They rush by, talking into fancy smartphones, pouring out of high-end restaurants, fast food places, hotels, businesses... your nose is pressed against the glass so hard it's a wonder it's still there.

''Get your nose off the window, you'll stain it.'' The caretaker's voice is high and squeaky, like a mouse. You immediately remove your face from the warm glass, leaving some face-shaped stains behind. The lady fusses around for a napkin, extending her arm so that the wrinkled paper is right in front of your face.''Clean that mess up. Just because it's your last few minutes doesn't give you the authority to make a mess.''

You take the paper, wiping off the glass cheerily. _I'm almost there! How purrfect is this?! A real home, real parents, even my own bedroom!_

On the day your new mom came to adopt you, you've been pestering the caretaker to give you bits of information about your new family. They have no other children; it might be bit lonely, but guarantees a bedroom to yourself. The lady seems almost exactly like you. You saw her great mane of soft, dark blonde hair that matched yours. Her round face portrayed a sweet kindness, resembling also saw a man with bushy, black hair, who sort of looked a bit of to you; he had black stitches painted onto his lips, with pasty white make-up all over his face. Maybe you were related; she could be your mom, finally coming for you after that heart-breaking betrayal, ready to welcome you with wide arms.

It was too much to hope for.

You look into the window, staring at your own reflection. Large, angled eyes flash a brilliant grassy green, turning into a dark hazel in the dark. Locks of short, slightly wavy hair puffs out of your kitty cap; they frame your freckled, tanned face. You're wearing a long, dark green coat with a grey t-shirt, khaki shorts, and brown boots. To give a bit of anime coolness, you decided to throw in a pair of midnight-black gloves that revealed your plain fingertips.

Then the car parks in the driveway of a house; a nicely-sized home on the fringes of a nearby park, with a trimmed lawn in the front.'' Is this it? Is this furreal?'' You've only been able to fantasize about the house for the past couple of days. Right now, your heart is beating so fast you can't help but squeeze your small box belongings with sparkling eyes.

The caretaker sighs.''Yes, now please get all of your stuff. Try to at least not make a mess on your way out.'' Her tone tells you she's a bit excited to get rid of you herself. Not that you could care; you were too happy at the moment.

_DING-DONG._ You stand next to the wide lady, practically jumping up and door swings open to reveal your new mother, a broad smile upon her the background, the mysterious male gives you a smile from behind.

The caretaker clears her throat, and addresses the your mother.''Ms. Leija, I've come to drop off Neyomi here. I assume you have everything taken care of?''

Your mother nods.''Yes. Here's the furrorms.'' She pulls out a thin pile of papers; soon your caretaker is driving down the long, winding road, back to the lonely orphanage you'll never have to go back to. You sigh, then face your mom. No matter how many times you see her face, you can't stop smiling.

She hugs you before you can even say hi.''You look so nervous! Furr now, we'll be like best furrends, okay? I may not be a very mature mom, but I like to picture myself as a purrson you can relax around. You can call me Meula!''

You think that's the best idea ever; you don't have much experience with parent-child relationships either. ''O-okay. I think that's purrfect, Meula.'' Addressing someone so closely makes you a bit nervous, but the feeling melts away at the soft expression Meula gives smiles, then releases you from her warm arms.

''I have some dinner fur us in the kitchen. You can put your stuff in the room on fur end of the hallway to the right. That will be your room.''She beckons you to follow her inside. You gulp, taking the first few steps towards a new life.

You gasp at how spacious it is from the inside, contrary to its small appearance from the outside. A large couch is stationed in front of a medium-sized flatscreen TV, cream-colored carpet stretching over the floor. A glass coffee table framed with black wood is in between the couch and TV, with several manga volumes spread over it._ She's an otaku...meowtastic! _Soft light spills from a lamp placed next to the couch. White blinds adorn the wide windows on the walls in the living room, smaller sized curtains covering the mini-windows in the kitchen. Your tall father leans over to you, saying ,''Welcome home, Neyoma.'' He pats your head,then goes back to his laptop._Maybe he's not so bad after all._ Spicy scents make your mouth water, almost making you whimper as you walk past the island counter that had heaps of food-filled plates, into your new room.

_The room on the fur end of_ _hallway, to the right..._ You enter a comfortably sized room, with a single broad window with white blinds. A closet with light-brown sliding doors is to the right of the window, where you store your tiny box of belongings in. A narrow bed rests under the window, pushed against the wall. Sunlight can stream from the window, waking you up to the new, warm place that's your home. _How wonderfurl...!_

During dinner, Meula, your father(who asked you to just call him Carlos) and you talked about how it's like here in the big city. She tells you it's not that strange once you get used to it. There's tons of other kids in this neighborhood, and a middle school jokingly tells you that the city isn't far off, so you'll be able to go clubbing once in a while and see some of his performances. Meula nudges him with her elbow, tension alleviates from the air, leaving only a semi-peculiar, joyful family behind. It's been a while since you've been so relaxed; you're only ever relaxed when you're secluded in the broom closet with your laptop, not bothered by the bullies of the orphanage.

After half past nine, Meula tells you bedtime is here, and you happily skip off to your room. You sit down on the comfy light-hearted feeling evaporates when you remember the eighth grade starts tomorrow, the first day of school, the first day of new friends, the first day of...

* * *

You wake up to the smiling face of your mom, your clothes from yesterday still on you; you guess you fell asleep before you had the chance to change. Meula chirps out a cheery ''Good morning!'' and you nod, mumbling with the morning daze still lingering in your head.

Meula hands you a white t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of black socks.'' Just a small gift fur your furst day of the eighth grade!'' You smile, taking the clothes from her happily.

The smell of toast and eggs waft to your nose. You take a seat at the counter next to Carlos, wolfing down the breakfast. Usually, you get plain eggs with a cup of sour orange juice almost every single day at the orphanage,and this is a welcome change. Soon, too soon for you, you're outside, taking the designated walking path your parents told you to take to school. The chilly air brushes against your cheeks, leaving a pale blush behind. The signs of early fall are here,shades of light orange already sprouting from the leaves of the trees. Your nerves make you shiver even though it's clearly sunny. You're walking, all by yourself, when a voice makes you trip over your own feet.

''Are you new here?''

You turn around, looking at a girl with rippling, long black hair. Her eyes are green like yours, but a much lighter shade. She smiles, her underbite showing in a cute sort of way. She wears a long-sleeved, dark green shirt with a white skirt and gray tennis shoes, holding her hand out to you. ''My name's Jade.''

''My name's Nayomi.'' You reach out tentatively, grasping her hand and giving it a feeble shake.''And, I, uh, just moved here.'' You decide to exclude the fact you're adopted; she might tease you for that. Many people do.

''Cool!'' She says in a singsong voice.'' Well, Nayomi, how about we walk to school together? I'll be your first friend here! Teehee.''Her laugh tinkles like a chorus of bells. You laugh, sounding more like an orchestra of strangled cows.

As you walk towards the school, you see three more people waving to Jade, who grabs your arm. She gives you an encouraging grin, and you walk with her to these strange, new people. In fact, everything is strange here. Though the grins on these people's faces are warm and inviting, you can't help but think there are intricate romances between these friends. And now that you think about it, there so many more people at the school... you smile back, thinking about all the new ships that will sail.

Good thing you brought your shipping chart.

* * *

**Whoohoo! I think it may have been a bit slow, but it was written while I was half asleep, so who knows? (hehehe) I'll be putting some definite JadeNep in here, with other pairings like FeferixNepeta, and Equius,too. Just a whole bunch of stuff I suppose!**

THANKS FOR READING! :33


	2. The First Day is the Hardest

''Hey there! My name's Neyomi!''

You look at them with twinkling eyes and a shining smile that could even penetrate that dark abyss in the shades the blonde male is wearing. He has light blonde hair, wearing a long sleeved shirt with red sleeves, jeans, and white sneakers. The blonde girl next to him has an ankle-length black skirt, a dark purple head band with a matching shirt, and white shoes. The very last boy has a white t-shirt that has the Ghostbusters embellished upon it, khaki shorts, white tennis shoes, and a black watch on his right hand. While they introduce themselves, you're slowly taking out your shipping chart; with a click of a lead pencil, you're jotting down their names onto the notebook paper, quickly sketching their appearances. Dozens of pairings for this group whir through your creative mind.

''Hello, my name is John!'' He's seems friendly, maybe a bit of a jokester.

''I am Rose. Pleased to meet you.'' She's real formal. You have the feeling she can help you with your homework.

''Dave.'' He's definitely the cool guy in the group.

After a lengthy conversation, you uncover most of their personalities, using your skillful eyes to monitor their quirks, calculating how compatible they are with others you have met. You've been doing this for as long as you can remember;the key part to shipping is knowing the behavior of the 's a difficult hobby, but you think it's the best one out there.

''So where do you live?'',John asks curiously. _It wouldn't hurt to tell him. _Then again, you might reveal you're an orphan if they visit your house. Better to just keep it a secret for now...

''Uh, well, I-''

_DIING DOOONG_. Saved by the bell! The echoing ring in the distance forces you and your new friends to sprint, with you already falling behind. _Why do I have to be so short?!_ It's practically a miracle you're in front of your locker now, panting like you just went through a marathon. You hastily unlock your locker, shoving your backpack in and taking out a binder.

Jade picks up her stuff and walks over to you with a smile on her tired face.''What's your schedule like? I can help you find your classroom if you want.'' You nod numbly, giving her your schedule paper; you're too exhausted to speak at the moment.

Her brilliant green eyes dart over the paper. You can't help but be put into a trance by them. _Her eyes are purrtiful!_

'' for first period...! Lucky! She's a real nice teacher.'' She giggles, then takes your hand and starts to walk. Her velvet hands make you blush slightly.

''Do you have this classroom for first period too?'' You try not to sound too hopeful.

Jade's smile deflates a notch. She releases your hand, putting her now free one on your shoulder with an apologetic look in her beautiful eyes.'' Dave does, but I don't. Don't worry, because I have all of your classes after this!'' She saunters off to a door across the hallway.''See you later, Neyomi!''

''Bye, Jade!''You wave to her as she disappears inside the classroom. You turn around to face a tall wooden door with a sign labeled with the bold words,' ROOM 303' on it. Apprehensively, you turn the door knob and enter the oddly warm classroom. The smell of cinnamon wafts to your nose, making you a little less nervous as dozens of stares burn into you like hot needles. The teacher looks at you with a friendly smile on her face.

''Hello dear! Please take a seat!'' You smile back feebly, then scurry over to a desk situated next to a window. She seems pretty warm and kind; maybe you'll like this place more than you thought. The teacher announces the usual preaches about school rules, then tells you to turn to page 36 in your mathbook. You sigh; math is not your strength. Nor do you ever want to even think about it. So much for a nice start.

Then you catch an interesting sight in the corner of your eyes.

''That's not how you do it, fuckass! Look, I can barely understand what the hell you're writing...!'' A raven haired boy furiously erases Dave's messily made numbers, replacing it with more elegant hand writing.

Dave just smirks at him.''You can do the rest if you like.'' The other boy starts to yell even more at this comment.

Before you realize it, you're instinctively scribbling in his appearance with cat-like speed. _Black hair, long-sleeved gray shirt, jeans, black sneakers, and hazel eyes..._ You smile at the deft work you've done, actually bothering to put on the appropriate labels for the shipping. _They're definitely kismesis._

''Miss Neyomi, is it?''

You look up at the teacher with wide eyes.''Uh, yes.'' Under the desk, you fumble around with the thick notebook, trying to shove it under your chair without much noise.

''How far have you gone? I would like everyone to leave without any extra work to take home today.'' She peers over to your paper, and you swear you could feel the tension in the air thicken.''It seems like you need to rework problems one and four.'' She walks over to the next student, who wears the same blank expression as you.

_It could have been worse. I'll need to work harder..._ For the rest of the period, you work out the worksheet with the memory of Dave and that mysterious boy lingering in your head.

* * *

''His name is Carter. Once you get past the yelling and cussing, he's actually a little nice.''

Jade walks next to you, humming silently to a song you don't know. You don't know a lot of things actually; like how you try so hard to stay out of your shippings, but somehow have your emotions intwined into them. It shatters your heart too often. It especially aches when Jade speaks of someone so warmly(which is almost all the time), making you whince internally.

_Why? She's just my friend..._

''What's furr the next class? Mr. Johnson...?'' Jade looks over at the paper you're holding in your hands. Her breath smells like pumpkin juice and fresh oranges, making your heart race. It's a good thing you know how to keep a convincing poker face at times like this.

''Oh, he's science. He's a new teacher here, so I don't know how he will be like.'' She pouts slightly and crosses her eyes slightly, making a funny look.

You can't help but giggle uncontrollably. Jade gives you a curious expression, making her look even more hilarious.''Hey, what's so funny?''Your laughter rings into the hallway, mingling with the buzz of other student's conversations.

Near the classroom, you trip over someone's foot. ''Wha-'' A strong arm catches you mid-jump.

''Vianey, please try not to trip over anyone in the hallways, it is unorderly!'' A buff male puts you back onto your feet, followed by a girl with long, blonde hair that had neon blue streaks streaming through it like small rivers. She has a mischevious expression on her face; blue smoky eye shadow coated her eyelids, accentuated by her perfect tan. She laughs, jamming her hands into her skinny jean's pockets. She wears a hot pink t-shirt with a grey jacket framing her slender body.

''Hello there, new girl! I hope you have nice day at school. Hahaha!'' You have a sneaking suspicion she was only being ''nice'' for now. The boy who saved you scowls at her, his long black hair slicked with sweat. He wears a dark green tank top, denim shorts, and has leather gloves on his hands. You look at your own, remembering you forgot to take your black gloves off.

''Thanks for saving me! I guess this means we're furrends now, huh?'' You give him a cheerful smile, leaving the confused boy speechless as you enter your next classroom.

* * *

School came and went, with you walking back to your house carrying a bag full of promising ships. You can't wait to get home and sort them out; too bad another person stops you.

''Uh, have you seen... a guy with ,like, really messy brown hair, and, uh, maybe wearing a baggy sweater and pants?'' The boy is only a few centimeters taller than you, with his cheeks flushed a deep red as if he had just run a marathon. He has a yellow t-shirt on, denim shorts, and is wearing black slippers. His dark skin is glowing in the sunlight made his cream colored mohawk hairstyle seem angelic, tumbling a bit over his chocolate brown eyes.

''No, I ha-'' Once again, before you can answer the nervous boy a looming figure creeps up behind him, towering over the both of you. _He's even taller than that other guy!_

'' Tavbro, where have you been?'' The lanky male gives ''Tavbro'' a creepily serene smile. His eyes look as if they could be completely black, gazing straight at you.''Who's this motherfucker?''

''EH?!'' You blurt out; _What vulgar language! _

''Uh, um, that's just what he calls everyone! It's kind of, uh, his own lingo and stuff!'' The shorter boy spews out stuttered apologies, then formally introduces you to the tall male.''His name's,um, Garret.''

''You can call me Gamzee,''Garret says,'' That name appeals more to the motherfucking messiahs.'' You frown. Bad words have always been a big no no to you, and you still can't get used to them being thrown around like this at school.

''Uh, well, nice seeing you!'' Tavbro grabs Gamzee's hands (you admit you like the name Gamzee a bit more too)and walks him to where ever they're going. With your sharp hearing, you can still hear him scolding the taller male. -''That was really rude! Don't cuss like,uh, that!'' It makes you grin slightly as you open your front door.

No one is home. A small note is attached to the refrigerator door, saying:

_Neyomi,_

_Me and Carloz will be back later on this night after a business meeting. There's dinner in the refurrigerator!_

_Love, Meula ;33_

''Meow, why now?'' You wonder out loud, snatching the paper and throwing it into the trash can. You were hoping to find out more about your adoptive parents this a dinner of mac and cheese, you settle down onto the plush couch.

It's time to get the ships sailing.


	3. Lunch Time

Pages of scribbled sketches fill your dark green notebook that is your current shipping many have been added, over half of the notebook is full already; you'll definitely be needing another one soon. Maybe Meula or Carloz can purchase you a new one this weekend.

_No, _you shake your head, _I don't want to impurrose on them. I've only arrived yesterday..._

You scan through a few of the earlier pages, then stop at your latest ones that you managed to fill during school. These ships are mostly ones to do with John, Jade, Dave, and Rose. Taking out a few colored pencils, you sketch in the newest one, with the pair you had just met recently outside of your house. They seem like good moirails, but might be matesprites.  
Another ambiguous shipping is one that includes Rose and another girl, who happens to display many of the same essential traits as girl's grim face was a bit difficult to see, and you were only able to capture her sleek, short black hair; her slender figure appeared next to the blonde female for a few moments, melting back into the shadowed background before you could focus on her too closely.

Every time she appeared though, she seemed to be looking for something, like Rose was the one who had it. What it was is a mystery. For now, you label them as undecided.

Then there was the all-popular Dave and Karkat. Davekat, you'll call it. Definite kismesis, possible matesprites if the relationship develops further. A few other ones were hastily put in because your targets were moving; during lunch, you saw that muscular boy again, only this time he was sitting alone in the corner of the cafeteria, tinkering with some strange gadgets. Once every few minutes he would cast wistful glances at another girl, who's dark red hair fell to her waist, her pale face emotionless. When you stared at her for a few minutes to draw her she turned her head and looked back at waved cheerily, giving you the creepiest smile you've ever seen in your life, then kissed the cheek of a boy wearing 3D glasses next to her. The muscular boy glared at him with the deepest hatred.

That romance is most likely a one-sided affair.

You would go into detail about other ships such as JohnxDave, or JohnxKarkat (you saw the short-tempered boy yelling at John during lunch, John's smile never fading), but the clock on the cable box beeps, displaying that the time is nearly right for you to go to bed. Time just flies when you're fantasizing about wondrous internal emotions and thoughts of people colliding is just furrascinating to you. Who knew people could have so many possible romances, so many infinite paths?

You flip the notebook closed, then enter the bathroom, tossing it onto the cool sink surface. You turn one of the knobs for cold water, splashing freezing droplets of the clear liquid onto your tired face. For some reason, you feel distinctly empty. But everything's fine on the outside, so you guess it's just because of the dreary Monday mood. After changing into some green striped PJ's, you settle into your bed and shut off the envelops you for a few fleeting moments.

A soft yellow light seeps into your bedroom from the space beneath the door. Keys jangle; _It's purrobably Meula and Carloz._

Sure enough, the same familiar long, blonde hair catches the light emanating from the lamp, followed by a tall,lanky silhouette. They look withered, threefold as exhausted as you are. You're taken over by rabid curiosity,and crawl out of your bed like a silent jaguar. You press your face to the small inch wide view. Meula throws a silver case onto the coffee table with a loud clang, then grabs Carloz's shoulder with a grave expression.

''It's not safe here anymore. They're going to wipe us out completely.'',Meula whispers into Carloz's shoulders. He only pats her head, staring at his feet with a grave expression. He never was one for words.

''What about Neyomi?''

Meula lifts her face, looking at him with wide, deep sea blue eyes that you didn't notice until now.''You're right; they would never do such a thing. The media would be all ofur it. We still have an edge against them, even after all these years.'' Meula gets off the couch, dusting off her wrinkled suit.'' I can only hope that she doesn't get any furunny ideas about Neyomi.'' She stalks off to her bedroom in the hallway opposite yours, leaving Carloz behind in a silent yet desolate haze.

You go to bed with an aching head, closing your heavy eyelids only after a fitful two hours. Trying to ignore the fact your haven is starting to fall apart.

* * *

In the blooming dawn, you get ready for school with crackling anticipation to get out of the house, telling your mysterious guardians you'll be returning late this evening. It's time to stop watching, and to discover some answers to your piling questions.

Rose, Jade, John, and Dave are walking together in a huddled group; they look like they're in an animated conversation. You butt in, squeezing against Jade. The touch of her soft, light green jacket sends small lightning bolts up your arm. ''Hey there, furriends! Whatcha talkin' about?'', you chirp despite the heavy sleepiness tugging at your bloodshot eyes.

''Oh, salutations Nepeta.'' Rose gives you a crooked can smell the sour scent of liquor in her breath.

'' Hey.'' Dave just gives you a small nod of greeting.

''Hello!'' John and Jade say at the same time; you laugh at the accidental synchronization, immediately accompanied by the rest. Well, except Dave.

By the time you reach the school, you've split up from the group and start walking towards the school football field. Since it wasn't football season yet, there were no football players running around on the field. Underneath the towering silver stands where the audience usually sat, a single figure stood in the towering dark shadow. You skip over to the figure, her hot pink braided hair falling down to the ground.

''Hey there!'' You greet her with a wide smile. To lower her guard, of course.

''Who the hell are you?'' She hisses, shoving her hands in her black pant's pockets. Two golden piercings shine from her left eyebrow.

''That's not very nice. And selling drugs isn't either.'' Shock spreads across the girl's face. _Bull's eye._

She avoids your eyes, and says,''I don't know what you're talking about.'' You take a few steps closer to her, close enough to see every facial change in her tanned face. Without blinking, you press on.

''I saw you outside the window meow, selling suspicious bags filled with white purrowder to people who go to this school. All through furst period. I don't like making enemies, but you seem like the kind of purrson who stays up to date with things. I'll be needing infurmation furrom time to time, or word of this business might spread.'' A smug feeling blooms in your chest. It's all or nothing with this type of violent person. She stands rigidly with a spark of rage in her eyes.

The spark flickers out when she realizes it's hopeless. If she beat you at school, with dozens of witnesses, there was a high chance she would be arrested on the spot. She sighs, defeated.''Fine, bitch. What do you want to know?''

''Oh, just a few names, stuff like that.'' You rummage in your pack for your shipping chart, taking it out to see if the people you spotted yesterday are people she could recognize and tell you about. Fortunately, she does.

''The one with the bleached mohawk is Tam; real shy dude who never separates from the notorious pothead, sells pot in his hang around in their houses, living right next to each other since childhood. The girl with the spiky black hair''- she points to the shady girl who hung around Rose-''is called Kate. Hardcore nerd and fashionista, went through some relationship shit with some blonde girl named Rose. Somethin' to do with beer or some shit, got tired of it and dumped her. Now she's more of a stalker than anything. This guy with muscles is Eric, and has a crush on Ariana, the redhead goth. She's currently dating Solin, a computer geek who can be beat by a preschooler in arm wrestling.''-You giggle a little at that part-'' Vianey... she's awesome. Most people say she's mean, but I think she's an a'ight girl. Has a redhead blind sis named Tris. Don't get too close to her cane.'' Meenah looks like she just run a marathon. Now you have more than enough information to earn your wings.

After Meenah is done catching her breath, you close your shipping chart and hold out your hand to the girl. She looks oddly surprised at your polite gesture. ''Thank you. What's your name? Mine is Neyomi!''

''Meenah.'' Meenah takes your hand in hers, giving a curt shake. You get the feeling she isn't too chummy with anyone, probably due to her unfriendly personality. Maybe you can help her find a few.

_DING DONG._ You wave goodbye to your new informer, happily skipping off to your new favorite class. This will be a good day.

* * *

The thick aroma of cafeteria made food permeates into the hallways, making you cringe. _What do they put in that food?_ Good thing your adoptive mom makes you exceptional lunches to take with you to school; today's meal is fried rice, chow mein,a bottle of cold pink lemonade, and a snack-sized Twix. _Yay!_

Pushing open the blue metal double doors to the cafeteria, you spot the one person who you thought it would be best to start with.  
Eric.

He's still sitting all alone, in one of the far corners of the cafeteria. A shining, brass object held together by intricately rotating gears is in his leather-gloved hands; he ignores his lunch, only gulping down the milk and fussing with the interesting little stride over to him and take a seat next to him.

''What are you working on meow?''

For a moment, his expression turns into one of slight surprise, melting away into a docile nervousness. Sweat forms a thin layer on his skin.''A watch.'' He goes back to working on it, steadily faster now. You take out your juicebox and take the straw out of its shiny wrapper, poking it into the cardboard box.

''Who's it for?'' You have a sneaking suspicion it isn't for himself; that's for sure. You take a sip of your juicebox, casually leaning in closer to see his work in progress.

Eric hesitates to answer.''A... friend of mine. I have been working on the gadget as a formal gift. Nothing more.''

''Neat! So do you work on stuff like this often? I think it's purrty cool.''

He unconsciously gives you a smile. His shield is starting to come down.''Well, this may seem a very simple piece of work to create. But the skill required to craft one yourself is incredibly high. And so, I had begun this small side project to-'' he dabs his forehead with a rag from his pocket-'' gain some experience. And favor...'' He mumbles the last part almost to himself, staring into the sparkling depths of his creation. It's worth must be monumental, even in such a premature stage. You already know why, but cracking the ice is what's most important.

Steeling yourself for your finishing blow, you say in a light voice,''Like from a crush?'' Almost spilling buckets of sweat, he nods his head. Eric must not have very many friends. He's always so tense.

''Hmmm... it's okay, I'll keep your secret! We're friends, remember?'' You give him a hug. Some of his tension eases away from the physical contact.''So, who's this lucky lady? Is she someone I know?'' You give him an impish grin, encouraging him to spill the beans.

'' Arania. She's an angelic female, who deserves much more than that low life she's dating.'' He shifts uncomfortably.'' I do hope she would leave him, personally.'' You nod, trying to take in every word. No one else is nearby to hear what he's saying, so this should be easy enough.

''I think that's very luck on the watch!'' You give him a comforting pat on the shoulder, sneaking through the throngs of people who are making their way outside. It's time to hear the other half of the story.

* * *

**MEOW! Okay, that's a wrap people! I think that's a good chapter, what about you? Mweh, I'm just biding my time and counting down the days to summer vacation for now. It's a good thing I have fanfiction to type! X33**

**THANKS FOR READING!**


	4. Miles and Miles

When you walked up to Ariana and Solin, they held hands amorously. Their eyes twinkled with deep passion; that just made your heart sink deeper into your stomach. How could you break these two up? What kind of cupid would do something so wicked? But Eric was waiting, building his watch, hoping that a certain little orphan would help light the way to a happy ending. You can't give up on his happy ending. And you know right now that Sollux can find another person to be with. There's always plenty of cats in the city.

''Hey there! Um, sorry if I'm interrupting, but I'm new here and just wanted to say hi. What's your names?'' You smiled sweetly, that even the deep aura of malice emanating from the chocolate-brown haired male diminished. Ariana gave you a comforting smile. She released Solin's hands to give you a friendly wave.

''Nice to meet you. I'm Ariana, and this is Solin. What is your-'' Her eyes flickered to shady corner of the courtyard. Solin didn't notice it, but your sharp eyes glimpsed a tall silhouette dart away. Ariana's shoulders tensed up._ Furrascinating._ ''I have to go. I just remembered I have to serve detention for .'' As she fast-walked towards the corner around a big oak tree, she added over her shoulder,''Sorry!'' Her form disappeared behind the building.

Solin cussed, shoving his hands in his pockets. He mumbled a 'good-bye' to you, leaving you alone as he stomped off. It didn't matter anyway. You grinned mischievously. This is your chance to find out something. Something big. You patted your deep coat pockets, making sure all of your belongings won't be in the way when you snoop around. Then you take off, jumping through bushes and youth-rolling over the chilly concrete after the gothic girl.

* * *

''Garret, what the fuck are you doing sneaking around with bags of dope in your hands?'' Ariana's eyes turned into thin slits, her lips pursed into a thin line. You've never seen someone so mad before; in the bushes, you take out your shipping chart stealthily. The lanky boy from that first day of school tucks away a few plastic-covered bags filled with white powder in his indigo sweater.

His nonchalant smile didn't leave his face.''Well, the motherfucking teachers weren't looking. And no one saw me, sister.''

Ariana face-palmed herself. Her dark make-up that framed her pale face made her more intimidating. ''Look, I know that you're our appointed leader. Though I do disagree on how you can fuck up with things like this.'' She crossed her arms angrily.

Garret's calm attitude wavered. For a moment, his eyes swirled with insane rage; the tips of his constant smile twitched. '' Motherfucker, are you questioning the mirthful messiahs?''

Ariana's anger dissipated. She cautiously stepped back, keeping her cool gaze aimed at Garret.'' Don't you get moody. We know what happens. It isn't very becoming for someone of your stature to act like an ignorant fool. The deal is only a couple months away, right on the day of our graduation. Don't do anything rash.'' She turned away, sauntering off towards the school building. Garret shrugged, scampering off into the shadows once again.

In the deep green leaves of a bush folded into the corner of a wall, you deftly sketch their fleeting complexions. _Kismesis..._

_DIING DOONG._ You almost bang your head against the wall when the school bell rings. Purring a string of nasty curses, you dust off yourself and sprint into the building. Time to get the heck out of here!

Outside the school entrance, you see the strange tall silhouette darting into the shadows. Flashes of red, black, and blue cloud your mind. Your knees start to buckle, and you have to support yourself on a brick wall; no one notices the mental breakdown happening right in front of them. Shivers travel up your back. You hide your hands in your pockets, so no one can see how badly they're shaking.

Not looking back, you run to your bus as fast as your legs can carry you.

* * *

When the periods have come and gone,your energy is almost entirely spent on carrying pounds worth of heavy books, homework, and other school materials. You open the door to your house, and enter. Your uncle is passed out on the couch; his soft snoring makes the papers strewn around him flutter laptop is still on, resting on the low table, and you walk over to close the lid. Then a curious name floats across the screen.

_Her Imperious Condescension. What a furruny name..._ Taken over by cat-like curiosity, you sneak a peek at the glaring monitor screen. On it, a half-finished email is written across the pale screen; it's due to be sent to the mysterious lady.

**Condesce,**

Meula and I have been worried about you lately. This may seem like an emotional start to a business-like letter, but this is urgent news. The families are getting riled up again. Don't think we're fooled; it's the worse situation this city, even whole state, can face. They can't just walk around, hiring middle and high schoolers. This is even worse than last time. You can't let this happen. Neyomi will never

And that's where it ends. You can't move. This is something you should pretend to have not the acrid smell of something atrocious slips into your nostrils, making you gag. Your instincts tell you to the hefty satchel onto your still-aching shoulder, you endure the pain, opening the door to leave. Who knows where you'll go; anywhere away from these two people, who have pasts as shady as the polluted sky above. Evening falls on the bustling city of L.A., with your tired body wandering into the crowded streets. Neon signs light up when a murky brown sky is overhead, the smog filling your gasping lungs. You inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale...

Scores of people pass by you, some teenagers texting,or chatting with their friends, or adults who swiftly walk to wherever they need to be. Most of their faces are blurry when they pass by. People never really mattered to you unless it came to shipping. You shake your head; white light splashes on you, sending long streaks of the bleached color scattering against the dark, bleak background. A quick snack seems good right now. You push against the cold metal bar attached to the door, letting it swing open so the cold air blasts against your sweaty face. California is such a hot place. Especially with fifty-pounds tugging at your right shoulder.

''Hello, welcome to McDonald's! What do you want?'' A peppy waitress greets you. Her smile cracks the overdone make-up in her aged face. You order a milk shake; it's the only thing you can afford.

A light-blue stool beckons you. The cool material lets you catch your breath; you probably started running on the way here., leaving the suburbs for the bustling city at one point. No wonder you have no idea where you are. It's probably the very heart of L.A. Spots of light still dance in your eyes when an irritated voice snaps at you from behind.

''Hey, get your damn ass off my seat!'' Meenah furiously makes her way towards you; another girl with flowing, long ocean dyed hair accompanies her. Amethyst eyes meet emerald ones; the sweet girl waves to you. She's wearing a white jacket, neon-blue tank-top, tennis shoes, and faded denim shorts. The very embodiment of a California girl.

'' Gosh, don't be like that Meenah!'' She pouts, then gives you an apologetic glance. ''Sorry! My sister usually sits here, and she gets kind of cranky about it. My name's Felicia. What's-'' Meenah steps in front of her abruptly.

''The bitch's name is Neyoma.''

''Neyomi.'' You correct her.

''Whatever. Now get off.'' She shoots you a venomous glare. You giggle, making a confused expression creep onto her face.'' What's so fucking funny?''

''Nothing.'' You hop off the stool. Looking at the counter, a tray is set out with a paper labeled _'6'_. You check your receipt; you're number six. After collecting your shake, you settle into a stool across from Felicia and Meenah, happiness starting to bubble inside you once again. Your fingers ache to grasp the smooth covering of a pencil to record this glorious meeting. Though that won't happen anytime soon. The blood still clots in your swollen fingertips, so the sketching wouldn't be a very good idea. They would like someone barfed all over them. Wait,how long have you been running? It only felt like five seconds. It could have been five hours. Or five days. You're not so great at keeping track of time.

''What time is it?'' You take a sip of your refreshing shake. You can feel the delicious cool liquid travel into your stomach. Meenah ignores you, but Felicia has the kindness to check a bedazzled touch-screen phone for the time.

She looks up at you. ''It's 6:13 P.M.'' You almost choke on your drink_. Does that mean I was running fur almost four hours?!_

''Felicia, order some shit already. Nana is cooking her goddamn fish tacos, and I ain't eating that crap.'' Meenah rested her head in both of her hands, staring out into the distance. Felicia nodded, then departed for the counter.

You finish your shake. Meula and Carlos will probably be wondering where you are now. Maybe Meula might even be making a tasty dinner, something sweet and savory. Reluctantly, to forget about the thought, you strike up the conversation with the girl. ''So... do you live around here?''

''No. Me and my sis live in the far west end of town. If you see smoke coming from the houses and no fire, then you'll probably find me there. Or some other pothead who knows me.'' She chuckled.'' I betcha you're not familiar with that part of town?''

'' Nope, not really. But since it's not that late into the night, maybe I can stop by your house? I have nothing else to do.'' You lied. Right now you just want to go somewhere. Far away.

Meenah gives you a suspicious look, then shrugs. ''Fine. But don't come crying to me when you shit your pants. I sure as hell ain't gonna defend you when some mofos come along swinging knives.'' She laughs under her breath, almost as if it would be fun to encounter such a villainous group. In the corner of your mind, a small voice tells you to go home and never look back. You ignore it.

''Fair enough.'' Meenah stops laughing. You slide off the stool to throw away your garbage; Felicia is filling up two medium-sized cups with and Sprite. She smiles. ''So you go to the same school as Meenah?''

''Yeah. Um, but aren't you my age? I don't think I've seen you around the school.'' Out of all the people, how could you _not_ miss her?

'' I go to a private school. My clothes should be enough to explain.'' She gestures to her expensive decorum; another thing you completely missed. Every single kind of famous designer brand you've seen in your life is embellished on one of her articles of clothing. The cloth itself now seems much more finer when you give it a second glance, those jewels dangling from her ears might even be real . Then you notice her tanned skin. Blood rushes to your face, making your heart beat as if Jade was there. But the problem is, she isn't.

Once you think about it, she never really has been there. A fleeting romance, you suppose. The thought tugs at your heart strings, making you want to punch yourself for thinking such a slanderous thing. Now you realize both girls are equally beautiful, though in a completely different way. Yet at the same time, in the completely the same way.

Felicia seats herself back at the table. You're still standing there, alone. Hastily, you pull yourself to the table. Twiddling your thumbs, you anxiously wait for Felicia and Meenah to finish their unhealthy dinner.

You need to keep moving. And never look back.

* * *

**For you fellow fan-fic readers, I know the last chapter was real slow. So I posted two chapters instead of one! Happy ending for everyone!  
**

**thank you fur reading meow! :33**


	5. Broken Heart

Acrid scents permeate from a cracked window of the crumbling house nearby, where a pack of rough-looking dudes crowd around. You've been lugging this heavy satchel for quite some time now, walking all the way from McDonald's to this small house in the middle of some neighborhood. Felicia now wears a plain white t-shirt and black pants; she didn't want to attract too much attention to decision. Meenah guides you up the cracked side walk up to her house, which has plain white walls, tin foil covering the windows behind broken panes of glass, and yellow withering grass growing in clumps in the front. A crooked chain link fence surrounds the small property; the only thing that doesn't look beat down is the white van, resembling the type a pedo uses. You shiver. It's not too hard to imagine a pedophile living in this very house. In fact, within this ragged part of town, you know there is a definite chance of at least one pedophile living here.

Meenah's gruff voice cuts into your alarming thoughts. ''Here's my crib. Now calm yo tits, I know it's fucking awes- what the FUCK are you doin' here?!'' Meenah's dark brown eyes throw sharp daggers at a calm young man sitting on her couch. He takes a swig from an orange bottle labeled 'FAYGO'.

''Motherfucking Meenah, how are the miracles coming along?'' Garret's half-lidded eyes bore holes into your skin. Tam sits close to him, clutching a juice box in his hands. He waves to your trio nervously. You try to look as friendly as you can when Meenah marches over there, her enraged face inches away from Garret's.

''Just. Fucking. Great.'' Her nostrils flared.''You know what else is great?''

''What?''

''The fact you're not supposed to be here, and yet you are! Those sons of bitches are looking for your high ass, and you're here chugging down Faygo!'' Felicia opens her mouth as if she wants to say something, casting a nervous glance in your direction. She closes it reluctantly. Something isn't right here.

Garret chuckled. Tam didn't look so comfortable being in front of the steaming girl, sinking lower and lower into the creaking couch. You pitied him at the moment, but just couldn't find the courage speak up. Meenah is freaking scary.''Uh, Meenah, you don't have to, uh... be so mean, ya know...''

Meenah ignored him.''Get out.'' That's when you stepped back. _She shouldn't have said that._

Garret's eyes seemed to turn scarlet, forcing you to stare at them and lose all 's furious expression melted, replaced by fear. Gamzee clutched Tavros's hand, glaring at Meenah with deep disdain. ''You shouldn't scare Tavbro like that. Maybe you're the one who needs to get out.''

Ice traveled into your vains as the temperature in the room dropped. Before you knew it, you and Meenah were both outside. Shivering in the blazing heat of late summer.

* * *

''What the hell is wrong with me...?''

Meenah sighs, and looks into the shining gold sun. The ball of fire isn't really complimented by any spectacular colors; it's just there. Kind of reminds you of yourself. You smile, taking in the pleasant warmth. ''Nothing. No one's is just a big jerk muffin, so you shouldn't worry too much. I'm outside here, too, aren't I?'' You smile sweetly at Meenah and pat her on the head start rummaging in your satchel for your shipping chart. It seems like those two inside the house are much more than moirails.

Felicia comes out, slamming the screen door noisily. She sits down next to you, gazing at the fiery sun. ''Garret and Tam are going to leave out the back door. So don't get all worked up about it, Meenah. '' Felicia hands a box of fries to you.'' Here, take this. It may not be much, but at least it's something.'' You take the box of fries, admiring how her water-colored hair shines even in the small Californian sunset.

After a couple of minutes, you decide it's time to leave. Frankly, you don't want to see that clown's face again. He's scary. Plus, being near Felicia makes your heart pound in an unsettling way, and you don't want to betray Jade. Even if she doesn't love you,you don't want to betray her. No matter what. You say good-bye to Felicia and Meenah,wishing them good luck, skipping speedily back to your house. It seems much more welcoming now. You wonder what Meula made for dinner, or if there's even any left. Darn it.

You stop skipping and take out your shipping chart. Rounding a corner, you arrive at the full view of your house, making your spirits rise a little. Even if it gives off bad vibes, it's a place where you can feel at peace. You stop on the driveway. Your ears twitch uncertainly; you heard someone. No, not just any someone. Jade. Her light voice drifts to you, forcing you onto your feet once again. A small detour wouldn't hurt. Tall bushes surround a two story house, growing around a wide front yard where two young people sit on the cement porch.

''Dave, that tickles! Heeheehee!'' Jade giggles, softly batting away Dave's tickling hands. He grin slightly, leaning in and stealing a kiss from your crush's lips. You grit your teeth, watching his arms slide up her back, running their filthy fingers in her soft locks. That should be you, not some guy. You should be the one to make her laugh like should be the one to hold her like that. You should be the one to make her smile like that.

She never smiles like that with you.

Unable to bear witnessing this, you pad away surreptitiously, leaving only a light green colored pencil behind. Jade loves that color; you wish she would love you. But you knew it would never work out. You should have known since the first day she was in a relationship with the blonde boy, by the way they looked at each other. This is the exact reason why it's a taboo to include yourself in your much unnecessary pain. Emerging through the thorny bushes growing under your bedroom window, you're glad you left it open. You slide the window slowly, so Meula and Carloz don't hear you coming, and tip toe softly inside.

''Where have you been?''

''EEP!'' You're startled by the feminine voice, almost dropping all of your belongings. You turn around and see it's an angry Meula with a very worried Carloz. Get ready for a **long** lecture. ''I, uh, went to have some fun with my furriends.'' You smile weakly; Meula isn't convinced. Carloz is about to speak but is cut off abruptly by his wife.

''Nepeta, the streets are very dangerous. You can't just be wandering around like this. Purrlease tell us where you're going next time, okay?'' She sighs, and rests a hand on your shoulder.''You can always talk to me. And Carloz.'' Meula grins, leaving the room with Carloz. He looks back, and you swear his eyes were full of regret. Sitting down on the couch, you siphon through your ships in low spirits, not even caring to edit them. Until you run across one that stands out like a sore thumb. A raven-haired girl and a blonde boy with shades smile at each other, the words 'JUST FRIENDS' scrawled across the top. You rip the ship out, crumple it furiously into a ball and fling it out the window. They're much more than friends. And that makes the pain all the worse, even if you did barely ever speak to Jade.

Even if she didn't love you.

_DING DONG._ The door bell echoes into your room; no one answers it. You hop off the bed bitterly, wondering who would be coming so late at night. When you enter the hallway, making your way into the bedroom, Carloz and Meula are standing in front of the half-opened door, expressions of utter contempt and horror on their faces. A woman with frizzy dirty blonde hair falling to her ankles, dark green eyes, and a deep scowl etched into her face stands in the doorway; her eyes flash from your parents to you, freezing your blood. Her very aura makes you want to abscond somewhere very, very far away. She dusts off her midnight-black suit, then clears her throat.

Piercing you with her frigid gaze, she says calmly.''Hello there, Neyomi. I'm your real mother.''

''I'm here to take you away.''

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER! OH NOES! X33 Anways~, I'm sorry to those people who had to wait an excruciating amount of time for this dang update. I was having some internet issues, and frankly couldn't figure out how to write out the rest of the chapter after Gamzee kicked everyone out...**

THANKS FOR READING!


	6. To the Movies!

''I'm here to take you away.''

Those words leave you speechless. This woman cannot- will not- be your mother. Suddenly a piercing, frigid memory flashes across your racing mind; the dark complexion of a woman, her frizzy dirty blonde hair framing her emotionless rain drizzles onto her hood, dripping onto your young infant face- You shake your head. You don't want to remember. The mysterious lady saunters inside, oblivious to the venomous glares your adopted- no, real parents shoot at her. She smirks, leaning towards you.

''You still look the same as you did all those years ago. Come on, you have many things to learn about your REAL furramily.'' She grabs your hand, tugging you out the front door. You try desperately to wriggle out of the iron grasp, struggling to hand onto the door frame. Meula is the first one to speak up.

''STOP! She doesn't belong to you anymore!'' Your mother slaps the lady uncharacteristically, and you wriggle out of the cruel lady's grasp desperately. Meula's sharp glare even stops the lady from taking your hand again.''Neyomi doesn't even remember who you are. You can't purrosibly hope to win her ofurr now.''

''Oh, really? I could hire a world-class lawyer to take care of that. I could get the media all ofurr you and your husband.'' The lady passes a hateful glance at Carloz. ''Then we'd both have an even purrlaying ground. How does that sound?''

''You wouldn't.''

''Try me, kitten.''

''Stop it, Meula.'' Carloz speaks up for the first time. His deep voice booms to your trio, silencing all the bickering females. You sigh, and quickly run past him and into the house. On the way, you grin at him brightly and mumble a small 'thank-you'. He smiles back gravely, then turns his attention back to the two ladies. You watch the arguments dissolve safely from behind the window; the fear that was forcing your heart to pound melts away. After a couple of minutes, Carloz walks back inside with Meula wrapped in his arms. He guides her to their bedroom. You sit on the couch, looking out the window nervously. The mysterious lady still continues to stand right outside the perimeter of your property, glaring vehemently at your house. She grins smugly at you; ominous shivers travel down your spine. She mouths three words that make you run to the door and lock it apprehensively, sinkingto your knees.

_ I'm coming back._

''Neyomi, it's okay.'' Carloz pats your head encouragingly, lifting you up to your feet gently. You nod numbly; his rare words pass through one ear and out the other as you're walking to your bedroom. The lights go out, letting the your room be engulfed in pure you close your tired eyes, a pair of bright, unblinking green orbs glare at you coldly, poisoning your dreams.

* * *

Morning arrives. The soft scent of dew in the chilly air fills your exasperated lungs. You stretch lazily,savoring the wonderful scent. Three weeks have passed since the mysterious lady suddenly appeared, and you're confident she'll never come back again. Scratching your back, you glance at the clock; 7:05 AM on a peaceful Sunday. You smile, remembering that your parents promised to bring you to the movie theaters in town to watch the newest romcom that's been released. You change into a light green striped t-shirt, khaki shorts, a denim vest, and a plush magenta kitty hat. You purr, stroking the leather satchel that's lost fifty pounds; your wallet is in there, holding a grand total of eleven dollars and seventy-two cents. You're probably the second richest person in the world right now.

''Ready to go Neyomi?'', Meula says, strolling into the living room with a white t sweater, grey t-shirt, dark brown sandals, and jeans. She looks like she could be your older sister. You nod, smiling enthusiastically.

''The last time I went to the movies was when I was five or six, when the orphanage raised enough money to take all of us. It was really furrun!'' You giggle, rolling on the heels of your feet.

''Well then, let's get into car and go!'' Meula grins, wrapping a warm arm around your shoulders kindly. Since Carloz had some ''impurrrtant'' work to finish, he couldn't accompany you to the movies. You sigh; he'll be able to take you next week anyways. But the quiet man has become a real father to you and you wanted to spend time with your whole family.

Starting up the car, Meula hums a soft song as she drives calmly into the bustling city. You're still astonished by how grand the place looks like; you've been taking frequent walks to the McDonalds lately with Meenah and Felicia, who've become your closest friends in the short time you've been here. You actually look forward to Monday, the day Felicia said she'll take you to her house. Only you though, since for some reason Meenah said she'd rather dump her head'' in a barrel full of piranhas than go to that shithole''. You've been having far-fetched fantasies about it for the past couple of nights, dreaming of golden toilets and silver toilet paper.

''We're here.''

''Whuh-huh-'' You stutter, forgetting where you are for a few moments. Something about toilets...?

''We're at the theaters silly! We've gotta leap to our seats because the movie starts in furrive minutes!'' Meula swings open the car door and youth-rolls out flawlessly, sprinting to the entrance of the tall theater structure. You catch up as quickly as you can after closing and locking the car doors, ending up at her side panting heavily. Meula meows, holding up your tickets to the guy who stands there like a pickle, nodding to you encouragingly. ''I'll hunt furr some seats!'' She back-flips towards the assigned theater room; you're pretty sure she literally pounced on the seats. Maybe she ate them too.

You salute thankfully to the confused pickle guy, walking to the snack line. Stacks of candy bars tempt you, along with steaming hotdogs, cinnamon pretzels, even icecream! But you can't get sidetracked. You have to spend wisely, meaning a humble bucket of popcorn and two medium cups of whatever soda they have take out a ten-dollar bill, waiting anxiously for the couple in front of you to make up their minds already.

''Fuck ass, don't get the plain pretzels! Those are shit!''

''Bitch, we're getting whatever I say we're getting. It's my money.''

''You guys, we can just get a big bucket of popcorn and share it.''

You realize blankly that these are people you know, subconsciously taking out your shipping chart. John recognizes you, and smiles gratefully. He turns towards you with a help-me-out-here look in his blue eyes. ''Oh, Neyomi! Um, do you think you can lend us an extra dollar here? Carter wants a pretzel, but he's a dollar short.'' The familiar blonde girl with bright blue make-up scowls, glaring at the short angry boy slouching next to her. He returns her glare threefold.

''Meow, I guess so.'' You swiftly take out a dollar bill, handing it over to him reluctantly. Now you're the second-richest person in the world. He thanks you, frantically negotiating with his movie pals. You smile once they finally leave the line carrying a giant bucket of popcorn, a couple of sodas, and one cinnamon pretzel. You quickly order your food; running as fast as your short legs allow you, you throw yourself into the shadowed theater room.  
''Where were you? I've been waiting for a whole four minutes!'' Meula lays horizontally across two seats, frowning. She straightens herself up, patting a seat that you assume is yours. You sit down promptly, handing her the popcorn and her drink of ; your mother shovels a hand full of popcorn into her face carelessly. John, Carter, and Vianey enter the room, choosing a trio of seats two rows behind you. Meula attempts to insert her straw into the plastic soda cap; it pops out of her hands, ricocheting off the ceiling, and out of all the people in the room, it has to land on Carter's face. He begins to rage, glaring at the people nearest for him in search of the culprit. Your mother then leaps over the seats, landing in front of your friends in a perfect panther-like position. She snatches the straw from Carter, who spots you and makes the connection; he stops yelling long enough to ask,''Are you Neyomi's mom?''

''Yes. Are you her furrends?'' Meula twirls the straw in her hands, looking curiously at the three laughs, leering at you with a mocking smile on her face. John replies to Meula politely.''Yes. My name's John, this is Carter, and this girl is Vianey.'' He smiles.

Meula grins back, preparing to leap back to her seat. ''You remind me of those pictures Neyomi draws in her notebook. She always-''

''Meula! The movie's starting!''You shout, hoping to cut off the conversation before she reveals your most guarded secret. She looks over her shoulder at you, then utters a small goodbye to the kids and returns to her seat. You sigh, burying your face in the popcorn bucket. That was a close call.

* * *

_Wow._

You gape at the splendid interior of Felicia's mansion, sweeping your gaze over every detail hungrily. She mentioned it wasn't that much of an impressive place, though you think she was trying to be humble from the looks of it. A crystal chandelier hangs from the high ceiling, scattering soft shards of shimmering light upon the polished marble floor, accentuating the showy decorum gathered in the wide room. You glance down at your clothes, blushing a bright shade of crimson when you realize you look terribly out of place; you're only wearing a plain white t-shirt, loose jeans, gray tennis shoes, and a simple navy blue hat. Felicia walks in, acting like this place is just like any other ordinary household.

''Sorry for all the showy stuff. My mom loves to make everything like this, except for my room of course.'' Felicia closes the towering double doors, waving off a few butlers who offer some drinks.

You're about to ask if she has her own McDonalds when a booming voice stops all activity. ''Hello there gurls. Like my crib, Neyoma?''

A tall, slender woman saunters down the grand staircase in front of you, swishing her hips as if the whole media was here. Her rippling raven hair flows behind her, tumbling around her white suit all the way down to her clicking high heels. She smiles sinisterly, several wads of bills sticking out from her pockets. She halts in front of you, resting her bejeweled hands on your shoulders.''I've got some serious biznasty to take care of, so I've got to make it short and snappy. Tell yo mom that Her Imperious Condescension reminds her to not forget her fucking promise!'' Her Impurrrious whatever cackles, jumping out the window into a waiting motorcycle. Her roaring laughter fades into the distance as she rides into the near sunset, going to wherever an insane rich mother goes to. Felicia shouts after her,''HER NAME'S NEYOMI!''

You turn to Felicia, frowning.''What the meow was all that about?''

* * *

**OSU! I finally got this chapter done! PARTY TIME! And I know this was a pretty serious update and all (more like 23% serious and 77% awesome), but next time I'll make sure the Condesce gets her part in this story too. And shed some light on that ''mysterious lady'', who isn't your average abusive mother... SPOILERZZ! Though the dark background won't be revealed for a while since I'll be moving all the way from Arizona to Florida, meaning at least a week to ten days without any updates, depending on if there's FREE Wi-Fi at the hotels. (I ain't paying for that). So sit tight and be patient mah lovelies!**

THANKS FOR READING! ;33


	7. Hidden Past

You wander on the cobble stone path, slowly taking in the breath-taking scenery. Sighing softly in wonder, you mumble,''This is... purrrrtiful...'' Felicia giggles, blushing and waving the compliment off.

''Nah, it's nothin. There's a dozen other places like this I bet.'' You purr, resting your hand on the cool smooth glass. ''It's still wonderfurrl.'' Dozens of fish idly swim by beyond the three inches of glass, flitting through the hundreds of expertly cultivated sea life, hiding in the nooks of naturally carved stone. The soft light filtering through gave it a whimsical feeling, making you wish you could jump into the water.

The glowing deep ocean captured in the glass flows around you, wrapping itself into a cylinder. You never knew Felicia had a giant tank like this, or could look so beautiful in the shimmering light. A slight blush dusts your cheek as you brush shoulders with her. ''S-So, um, Felicia is there anything else you want to show me?'' Personally, you kind of hope there's nothing else, because you know that she's probably got way too many things to show you in a single day.

''Hmmm... well, I have a skating rink, a helicopter pad, and my garage has alot of cars and stuff...''She shakes her head and looks at you.''Maybe we can just enjoy some normal buddy to buddy time? Most of the people I've met... they've never really cared about that, and so I'm kind of tired of showing off all of this. Being rich isn't as fun as people think it is.'' Dang it. Now you feel bad. You nod, taking her hand in yours.

''I think we can do that.''

Felicia smiles, then guides you out of the enormous aquarium cylinder, back into the shadowed hallway of the dome holding various aquariums she's been collecting over the years. You take a deep breath, feeling her soft skin brush against her hand; this is your chance to give her the picture you've been working on night after night for the past week.

Before your secret crush walks you out the door, you quickly pull out the sketch. A simple picture of you and her on a random beach. Looks more like a kindergartener drew it, now that you think about it. Oh well.'' Felicia, I made this for you. It's not that good, but...'' Your voice trails off as she reaches over, gently taking the paper from your hand. Her grin widens, and she giggles.

''It's the best picture I've seen. Trust me.'' You smile back, holding her hand a bit more amorously than friends should be. Suddenly her phone rings and she takes it out of her pocket; her eyes sparkle brightly. She lets go of your hand, texting back the mystery person.

''Who is it?'' You peer over the phone, feeling your heart sinking as you discover the telltale honey-colored text.

''Solin. Tomorrow he's taking me to McDonalds for a date.'' Felicia's eyes tell you she's looking forward to it, unfortunately. It's not like there's anyone to blame but yourself really. You were the one who assisted Ariana to fall in love with Erik, therefore Solin had no one anymore. And you never leave anyone couldn't help that Felicia made more of a match with him than you.

''Really...?'' You pout; he shouldn't treat her to such low-class food! She's a millionare for Pete's sake!

Felicia blushes, waving it off.''I actually prefer that place's food than the one served here. It's really plain.'' She says plain like it's a good thing. You'll never understand rich people.

Later on, after you get over the boiling rage in the back of your mind, you head off back home. You were at Felicia's house until 8 P.M., yet you still couldn't manage to see every part of her spacious estate. The mundane sight of your normal home comforts you as you turn the doorknob that isn't studded with jewels. Meula stands before the oven, taking out one of her awesome apple pies; the sweet scent of cinnamon, juicy apple slices, and crispy crust permeates in the house. Carloz is nowhere to be seen. Probably off working on some more art exhibits. You found out coincidentally one day that he works as an artist, painting wide murals for the public, or off sculpting another statue to be displayed in some random park. Now that you think about it, he does more art work for the public than he does for himself.

You remember the favor Felicia's eccentric mom asked you.'' Meula, when I went to Felicia's house her mom asked to tell you this: Don't furrrget your promise. What does that mean?''

Meula freezes, almost dropping her pie to the tiled floor. She stares at you with wide eyes.'' Did she have a nickname, like... Her Imperious Condescension...?'' You nod weakly. _What's up with her...?_ Meula unsteadily puts down the steaming pie, wiping her hands off her white apron. She walks over to you and grabs your shoulders, her nails digging into the previous bruise ''Her Imperious Condescension'' had left before. The sharp pain makes you wince, and you look up nervously at your bewildered guardian.

''Never go back there again. Okay? Never.''

''O-Okay.'' Meula nods, almost to herself, then releases you. ''Go to your room now. I'll bring dinner in later.'' She hangs her head, seating herself in one of the stools at the counter. You shuffle to your room solemnly, throwing your stuff into your closet. You don't even bother to change into night clothes. You lay face-down on the bed, wondering why out of all the people on the planet, your kind, sweet mom had yelled at you. Why?

* * *

''Meenah! Hello!''

Meenah turns around to face you with her usual scowl.''What the fuck do you want now?''

''Heehee! You're as cheerful as usual. But actually, I need to know something. Do you know anything about Felicia's mother?'' You smile sweetly, anxious to know something about the tall lady. Something to help you know the reason behind why your parents are always so cautious about her. Something that will shed light on their mysterious pasts. Anything.

Meenah's eyes gloss over, her face sagging gravely. You frown, reaching out to her.''M-Meenah? Did I-''

She swats your hand away. You recoil, rubbing the sore spot. Meenah gives you a deeply apologetic look. ''I'm sorry! I just spaced out for a moment there...okay, so Felicia's bitch of a mother is the C.E.O. of a mega corporation that specializes in technology, like creating codes, or viruses, depending on what the client wants. But everyone knows the company as a baking company, unaware what the douchebags are doing behind everyone's backs.'' She clenches her fists.'' Don't tell anyone this. And don't ask me how I know either.'' By her viciously determined expression, you can tell she's serious, so you clamp your mouth shut and nod. '' Back in the old days, before this hellhole of a town became famous and was just some random city, two gangs were formed.

''One was called ''The Highbloods'', and the other ''The Cancers''. They were absolutely bloodthirsty to each other. The Highbloods had their own little nickname for their rivals, calling them ''lowbloods''. Soon both gangs began to grow famous as they fought for control of the west side of the U.S., robbing places, murdering high-up politician dudes,dealing in the Black Market, doing everything you would expect a gang to do. But what people were really interested in were the fights between the massive powers. Those were kick-ass. People flocked to the ones in public, witnessing the fucking insane shoot-downs and car chases they had with each other. Many places were shut down and destroyed because of those awesome battles. Eventually, both sides of the group were already secretly installed in every business, political party or whatever, and tons of other shit places where rich bitches are. Though around like fourteen or thirteen years ago, these two bad ass gangs vanished. They were completely disbanded; members went their own ways, some of them changing their names or having surgeries to put on some sort of disguise.

''No one really knows what happened. They say too many people died. They say someone rebelled. A few even say that a Romeo and Juliet thing took place. But that would be shitty so don't listen to that. The best thing is...'' Meenah leaned in towards you, whispering in an ominous tone,''Felicia's mom was in the Highbloods. She's known as a ruthless murderer, who was responsible for hundreds of people's deaths, downfalls, and sudden disappearances. I personally wouldn't want to cross her. Even if she's pretending to be some goody-two-shoes baking lady.''

Meenah backed away, shoving her hands in her pockets. ''Now ya know why I didn't want to go that bitch's place. She and I...let's just say we don't got no good memories of each other.''

You knew she was hiding something by the pained look in her eyes, but you didn't ask. Everyone has their secrets they want to keep hidden. ''Meow, that's a deep story. But do you have the names of both gangs' members?'' You want to absolutely confirm your suspicions.

Meenah looks both ways, then says quietly,''I ain't got every persons' name completely right, since some of those people were real crafty and smart enough to keep themselves unknown. The lower members don't matter so I'll only list the top dogs and reputation worthy peeps.''

''From The Cancers; Crow Ampora, Kent Vantas, Molly Leija, Rufus [last name], and one chick Melody Leija, who decided to change sides at one point. Most guess she was sick of the snobby leadership there, but the Highbloods were worse so I dunno.''

''From The Highbloods; Carloz Makentine,Harold Zackary, Minda Peixes, Amahnia Serket, and Latasha Pyrope.''

You stop breathing for a few moments. _Leija... now I understand._

You shift the strap of your satchel and start running back home, not looking back. Meenah's shouts didn't stop her.''HEY! YOU'RE SKIPPING SCHOOL? WHERE ARE YA FUCKING GOING? NEYOMI!''

You breathlessly shout back,''Thanks!'' If your instincts are right, time is running short. Dangerously short.

* * *

**First thing; I am very sorry! I was moving and stuff like that, so this update came wayyyyyy late. I will give everyone who reads this a free* chocolate!**

ENJOY!  
***by free I mean WHY WOULD I GIVE YOU MAH CHOCOLATE :33** *falls asleep


	8. An Uninvited Person

''How do you know?''

Meula stares at you with wide eyes. She shakily lowers the potted vase, gently placing it on the cool counter. Lately, she's been acting more and more anxious, rigid with frantic nervousness. She tries to hide it, but you can see the dark bags sagging under her once-alive eyes. The way she looks over her back every few seconds, as if someone were watching her. How she walks, padding softly as if trying not to signal her presence to anyone. And now you're doing the exact same thing.

''An anonymous source. But, purrlease Meula, can you tell me what's going on? I have already furround out, so it shouldn't be that hard to tell me the rest...'' Your voice trails off as Meula breaks down, grabbing you into a tender embrace.

''I... just don't want to lose you... that's all...'' She looks up at you with those sad, deep forest green eyes of hers. You hold your breathe, trying not to break under her fervent stare. ''You are so much like me back then. I don't want you to go down the same purrath I did. So, purrlease, let's just finish planting the last of these furrlowers, and go to bed, okay my little kitten?''

You gulp unsteadily. Looks like coming here was a bad idea after all. You had ran here all the way from school during lunch break hoping for some answers, but instead you're left with almost nothing. Defeated, you help her transplant the last of the soft vanilla colored flowers, embellishing them in the living room. A nice touch to the decorum, though in your state it makes no real difference; you sigh,entering the chilly bathroom. After getting ready for bed, you drift into your soft sheets, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of crackling energy making the hairs on the back of your neck rise. You growl, glaring fervently at your blinded window; the formidable presence lifts, fading away.

Seems like you have some uninvited guests.

* * *

You smirk. Lunch is paws on the best time of the day.

Throwing a small portion of your cold, unappetizing peas at Solin, you dart into the bushes surreptitiously before he has the chance to spot you red-pawed. From within your leafy fort, you're granted the perfect position to view his fuming expressions; each day it just gets better and better. One time you stole his weird glasses. Now _that_ was hilarious. He spent the whole school day yelling at Carter, Tam, and Garret to hand them back. He even went to Vianey, who took him on a private tour of the whirling inside of the girls' toilets. He stopped shouting at everyone after that. But of course, being the kind, sweet little girl you are, you innocently handed them back to him at the end of the school day, remarking he had left it in Mrs. Oshire's class. The look on his face was priceless. You can't help but tease him like this; he is the one who's dating your dear Felicia. Sometimes, you wish he would just buy her a nice necklace or take her out to a fancy restaurant. But you know that's not what she would want; he's the one best suited for her. Weirdly, she enjoys the lame meals he gets for her. Enjoys the garbage he buys for her when he's not busy being broke, and even smiles happily when he does something stupid and gets into arguments with Carter. It all bamboozles you greatly.

Once, you bought her a pleasant aquamarine-studded necklace, quite jovial with the elaborate decision you had made. Now you're the eighth richest person in the world. You had presented it to Felicia yesterday, but strangely her kind smile was empty. She handed it back to you shyly, saying she already has seven of the exact same necklaces at home. That totally crushed your spirits. Even stranger, Meenah suddenly appeared after your crush floated off, saying abruptly,''I'll take that off of your hands. It's not like that girl could ever appreciate single goddamn diamond in her prissy life, anyways.'' She hands you a smile, and you sense she's being uncharacteristically kind to you. You reluctantly handed her the necklace; she's wearing it today, right now, in fact.

''Oh, um, I think I forgot to say thanks for this thing.'' Meenah stares ahead, half-zoned out. Both of you are seated underneath the tree, having emerged from the bush you were aiming peas from towards Solin's skinny back. You nod, sketching a new ship into your notebook. Currently, Meenah's the only one who knows about your shipping chart, making her a closer friend than even Equius, whom is still in a strong relationship with Aradia and is very grateful for your help. He's a great bowling partner on those Friday nights you used to spend lounging around doing nothing.

''It was nothing.'' It wasn't really nothing. It was your last hope. You really shouldn't try and mess with your ships though, because you know you can't cope with being rejected. Inside you're torn up from not following the your very own rules you had laid out. But you don't show it, another handy skill you've earned from all that roleplaying. Meenah inches closer, leaning her shoulder against yours. You smile, rummaging in your leather satchel for a purple color pencil.

Someone is watching you.

You hazel eyes focus in on the unfriendly presence hidden in the bushes, somewhere in this packed courtyard. You see a sly silhouette float through the leafy underbrush- it disappears as soon as you see it. Craning your neck, you try to find the mysterious shadow in vain. A light tugging feeling pulls your focus back to a very confused Meenah, who stares at you with her dark, earthy eyes. For a moment, you're surprised at how they shift colors in the shadows, almost turning into a bright hazel like yours...

''Everything okay there, Ney?'' Meenah says tersely, using the nickname she endowed you a couple days ago. You nod uncertainly, casting one glance back at the cluster of bushes that still swayed in the slight breeze, still housing the dark figure that watches you endlessly...

* * *

_DIING DOONG._

''Alright, class is dismissed!'' Your stout teacher waves you off; you frantically jam your belongings into your satchel, sprinting out the door before anyone else. The hallway is clear, letting you go into top speed towards sweet freedom. Soon you're followed by other rushers who bump into you, muttering some not-so-kind words behind their shoulders; you shrug it off, breathlessly making it to the school entrance. _Woo! That felt meowtaculous! _You grin, basking in the adrenaline left in your nerves from the quick run. This is most certainly the best part of school, when you get to just let loose and holy shit what the heck is she doing here.

''I'm looking for Melanie Peixes. She's my daughter and an eighth grader.'' The intimidating, slender woman that is Felicia's mother stands at the front office desk, drumming her fingers impatiently on the polished surface. Her piercing eyes slide towards you; you freeze up, unsure what to do. When the office lady disappears into the back to ask for some help, Felicia's mother walks over to you, a sinister grin spreading across her fuschia colored lips. ''My, my, you wouldn't happen to know where my dear, sweet little Melanie is now do yah, girly?'' Her thick accent rolls off her tongue like velvet.

She stretches out her talon covered hand; you shiver. You don't want this person to dig their claws into you. The marks are still slowly fading away from last time.

_ She's known as a ruthless murderer, who was responsible for hundreds of people's deaths, downfalls, and sudden disappearances._..

Breathing heavily, you run down the school's hallway, clutching your satchel close to your chest, not wanting the clunky belongings to give away your presence. You can hear Her Imperious Condescension's clicking footsteps only yards away, catching up quickly in long strides.

_ I personally wouldn't want to cross her._..

''You can't run far, gurl.'' Her commanding voice booms only around the corner; you're almost out of breath, nearing the broom closet. You skid to a stop in front of it, twisting open the knob and shoving yourself inside. Cowering behind a few mops and brooms, you helplessly hear the click-click of her high heels, becoming nearer, only a few yards away... only a few feet... right in front of the door, shedding their shadows across the opening along the bottom of the door, stopping...

''I'm right here, you old hag.'' Meenah's voice cuts into your thundering terror. You can see her shredded sneakers block the lady's tall high heels, blocking her path. ''What do you want this time?''

''That ain't no way a daughter speaks to her fucking mother.''

''Last time I checked mothers didn't swear at their daughters either.''

A chilling silence fills the hallway. You can feel your heartbeat thumping in your ears, slowly becoming less panicked. Getting on your knees you peer through the opening, trying to analyze the situation from only the four feet gathered in front of your slim view.

''Whatever. Just get your ass home. I ain't gonna tolerate you skipping the road home for ya uncle's house. Do that any longer and you might not even have an uncle to run to.'' You clench your fists as she chuckles, pulling Meenah along with her.

''I'm not your daughter anymore. I never was...'' Meenah grumbles stubbornly, standing her ground.''And don't you dare set your sights on Neyomi. I know you had one of your thugs fucking spying on us all day long, tailing us wherever we went.''

''That's too bad, gurl, because I don't give a single fuck about what you or your girl toy wants.'' The Condesce tugs Meenah along, almost making her stumble. At one point their feet disappear down the empty hallway, the sharp clicking of the heels and soft thudding of shoes echoing into the distance.

You sigh a breath of relief, despite the fact that one of your closest friends was just pulled away by the most formidable woman you've ever dealt with. Collapsing onto the stain-streaked floor, you look up at the ceiling.

It's past midnight when you make it back home, climbing over the closed gates in the front, sprinting home as fast as your short legs can carry you. When you clamber over the few steps in front of your home's entrance, you hear some rushed, panicked whispering emanating from the inside of the house. Cautiously entering the warm household, you gape at the wide, blood-covered wound stretching across Carloz's chest. His face is twisted in agony, Meula hovering over him with a first-aid kit, holding a pair of tweezers in her hands and- oh gog, is she taking something out of that mess?! You gasp, covering your mouth with your hands as she slowly extracts a small, bloody metal case- a bullet, out of the profusely bleeding wound.

You're finally back home, and your father is about to die.

* * *

**Her Imperious Condescension has made a startling comeback! Oh noes! What will we ever do nao?!**

Nepeta: We can all just be friends! :33

That will never happen, sadly. =A=

THANKS FOR READING! 


	9. The Heir

The first thing you do is drop everything.

Meula gasps in surprise.''Oh, I didn't know you were here, Neyomi...!'' She smiles, putting the bullet into a bloodied bowl. Two others rested in there; you averted your gaze, staring straight ahead at your grave mother and panting father. Remembering what had taken place only a few hours ago, you clench your fists, attempting to remain strong.

''W-What happened?'' You mewl, settling onto the floor. Meula sighs, holding Kurloz's hand. He looks up, passing her a small, encouraging smile.

''A fight. Some very unfurriendly purreople decided to attack us on our way back home, and it happened to turn out like this.'' You frown, biting your lip. You had always thought it was safer here than the orphanage. But this whole place put off bad vibes since you arrived, and you knew you came to a whole kind of dangerous. Clearing your head of the unnecessary thoughts, you decide to ask one last thing, hoping your kind guardian's answer could suffice.

''Mommy's going to set them straight. I'll make sure they never hurt us again.'' She nods, almost to herself. You steer yourself towards the couch, looking into your father's eyes. He mumbles something incoherent to Meula, casting a worried glance in your direction. She nods; grabbing your wrist, you feel yourself being pulled into a shaky embrace.

''We're sorry. You've been mistreated since you've come here, and we were too scared to doing anything about it. Tomorrow things might get a little crazy, but it just means that we're fighting back, okay?''

You nod unsteadily. Maybe she's right. But again, you can never predict the future, so you walk solemnly to your room after cuddling with your mom and giving a tender good night to your father. Underneath the bed sheets, you look out the window.

Someone is still watching you.

* * *

''What the meow...'' You mutter, hungrily searching the kitchen for any sign of food. Meula is passed out on the counter, snoring softly, sending the piles of papers gathered around her cascading to the floor. You leap; snatching the papers into your hands, you place them back onto the counter. Smiling at the adorable sight, you grab a paper napkin and wipe off the drool dribbling onto the sleek cool surface. Really, she shouldn't be sleeping like this. Since there's no food available, you settle for a piece of toast and scamper out the doorway. Like every morning, you breath in the fresh air in hopes that today will be a better day.

Around the corner, four people stroll towards the school pathway, right where you are. You grin, waving at them and joining. ''Hey there!''

''Hi Neyomi!'' Jade smiles sweetly; before it used to send your thoughts scattering but nowadays it kind of makes you sad. Angry. Frustrated. Wanting to change the past, even though it's futile. But you smile. Smile kindly, as if you didn't see her macking on some guy you barely met. She isn't yours, and she probably will never be. Though it's nothing to be stuck on. You bury the past, looking away from dark shades and round glasses, directing your attention to Rose.

''So I heard you like to write purroetry?'' You look at her curiously. Dark bags hang under her amethyst eyes; she smiles half-heartedly, nodding.

''I like to compose some melodies from time to time, too. Though poetry has become a lost cause for me recently.'' Her sad smile doesn't fade; she looks up at the sky, day-dreaming of something- or someone- you don't know about. Sighing, you look over at the trio of boisterous kids, happily joking with one another, then back to the girl next to you. ''What happened?'' You cock your head, suddenly becoming very curious about this person you've barely spoken to.

''Too many events happened. I prefer not to speak about the subject...'' She passes a sad glance at you, taking a swig from her water bottle. You scrunch your nose as the acrid scent hits you; is that even water? Is there such thing as clear feces? Because you're pretty sure the clear liquid is anything but water by the way it smells.

At school, Meenah still hasn't come back. You've chewed every single one of your pencils, earning some very mocking stares from a couple of classmates. Not that they know your best friend is somewhere out there, trapped by some kind of witch... a batter witch! _Yeah, she's a big, horrible batter witch. Meenah's her daughter, and yet she dragged her away like that! I can only hope I'll see her again soon... _ You look up at the wipe board drearily. The colors seemed mixed together, faded almost. The faces around you are empty, and you can't see the smiles anymore. Emptiness fills the gaping hole in your heart; losing friends has been one thing you cannot tolerate, no matter how distant they are. And Meenah sure isn't distant. So you decide to visit one of her old friends after school.

Half-running to the high school- which is right next to the middle school gratefully- you locate a single person you've heard her talking about. Ariella, you remember quickly before catching up to the blue-clad figure carrying a weighty navy-blue back pack. She reminds you of Vianey, but much kinder-looking.

''Um, may I help you?'' She says hesitantly, reaching out to give you a hand. ''Did... did you run here the whole way from the middle school?'' She probably saw you running along like an idiot, but you shake off the stinging embarrassment.

''I...huff... need to talk to you. About... Meenah Peixes...'' You straighten yourself, taking off your sweaty cap. You smell like teen spirit; sweat and dirt.

''You mean Melanie? Brings back memories... she seems so far away now...'' Ariella trails off, a slightly sad and flustered look on her intelligent complexion. ''Since you arrived so hastily, I might as well listen. So what do you want to talk about?''

''Her mother.''

Ariella freezes; _so she knows,too. _''The C.E.O. of that dastardly baking company, and the leader of numerous,powerful underground black market groups. She is not a woman to desire the attention of, I can tell you that.''

''I know. But, what's the situation with her? Yesterday, I saw her... her take away Meenah right in front of my eyes!'' Not really, though details don't really matter right now. ''She mentioned something about an uncle?''

Ariella shifts her heavy-set backpack, looking straight into your eyes. Her intense stare tells you she's had much more experience dodging that fishy woman. ''Due to conflicting family relationships, Meenah prefers to reside in her uncle's household. But that angers her mother, who honestly favors the younger sister, Felicia, yet still hounds Meenah daily to come back home. But once in a blue moon when she does return home, she's reminded of who is really the favorite child. What she's expected to become, not what she wants to become. It pains her. That's why she partakes in such controversial activities... drug-dealing, gangs, and so on... it used to be something I helped her overcome, and she conquered it for a pleasant period of time, but when she was held back a grade, her presence in my life was totally cut off. Not only from me, but from everyone. Almost... as if it were planned. I still don't know how she is today.'' Ariella rests a hand on your shoulder, smiling.

''Is she a good friend?''

You nod. ''Yeah, she's the best furriend I've had in a while.'' _And now she's gone. _''Thank you furr telling me. It really helped. I'll make sure to tell Meenah you said hi!''

You turn around, preparing to walk back to your house when a Ariella's grip doesn't release; it tightens around your shoulders, forcing you to look back.''What is it, Ariella?''

Her wide blue eyes fixate on you as if you were a big deal. ''I-is your name Neyomi Leijon?''

''Yeah...''

''I can't believe you're right in front of me...'' She stares in awe, and you give her a confused look.

''Um... what...?''

''You're the heir of three billion dollars.''

* * *

**It has been three billion years since I've typed an update for this story... oh whale... I'm going to be putting in all the extra drama in the next chapter, but this one was sort of a trigger. Hehe, some biznasteh will be taking place! But that will have to wait for a period of time since I'm trying to get over this loss of inspiration to write (I've become obsessed with playing this old videogame called OFF recently, along with taking long naps... =w=), realizing that I might have been half-assing this thing. So I'll be going over past chapters, making sure they measure up to mah expectations.  
**

**THANKS FOR READING!**


	10. Red Thunder

Dawn arrives. Yet another day has been born, and you put on a brave face, determined to plow through this ordeal even if it kills you. When you had walked home in a daze last evening, an unsmiling lady in a black suit was standing in your doorway, speaking in a grave tone with your mother. Once you had walked into Meula's range of vision, she practically lifted you off your feet, hugging you tightly.

''I thought you never coming home, kitten...!'' She cried into your shoulder, stroking your hair. You look at her, utterly baffled. What is happening? Why is she like this?

''Mom, what's going on?'' Meula smiles softly, placing you back onto the cobblestone path.

''I'm sorry fur not telling you sooner, but it was to purrotect you.'' She puts her hands on your shoulders, a serious yet kind expression on her face. ''Years ago, when me and Carloz were still involved in the mafia business, your mother and I were in the same group at first. Over the weeks, our beliefs collided, and so I split from the gang, pawing over to the one your father lead. Back in those days, morals were worth nothing. So when years passed by, countless members lost to the power struggles that erupted between our two groups, your mother committed the most desperate crime in her career. As your real father disbanded his organization, around the same time Carloz did, his bank account was over loaded with riches beyond imagination; three. Billion. Dollars. Your mother didn't want to have to wait years to be able to have control of his fortune. On the night before me and her were to meet in peace as sisters, she murdered him. Strung him up on a tall tree several towns over, pinning it on some low-level gang residing in the area. After that, I ceased all contact with her. Furrankly, I didn't consider her to be my sister anymore. Even if I had committed the same horrendous atrocities she had, I still had an ounce of morals in me.

A few months later, your father's will was released. He was a genius. He knew your mother would decide to kill him off sooner or later, and he was prepared for it. Unfurtunately, your mother forgot about a special little kitten she had in the middle of the chaos. That special little kitten was you, Nepeta. When she arrived at the location where your father's will was to be read, she was sure she had won. I was confident she would have made off with the money, too. Then the bomb dropped. Every single penny was to be inherited by a mysterious daughter, in a distant orphanage somewhere. Your mother was furious, and has been tracking you down ever since. She didn't even know your first name. ''

I stared down at my feet, frowning. _Why me? All I wanted was to be left alone..._ Meula pulled me into a gentle hug, speaking up once more.

''I'm just grateful Carloz and I had found you. Who knew what would have happened to you if we hadn't...''

In that moment, I realized how lucky I was. Of all the people who could have taken me away, of all the children in all of the orphanages, she chose me. I trembled, wrapping my short arms around my mom. The one who truly cared for me, not the one who had thrown me away.

''Thank you... for choosing me...''

* * *

You shake your head. Now's not the time to be daydreaming. In only a couple of days, the scandal had been fully publicized, and unwillingly,too. An anonymous source somehow dug up the case, scattering over the Internet. Several reporters have begun to hound your house; an unexpected heir? A devious, back-stabbing mafia wife? Two retired gang leaders battling for the custody of the innocent child? Of course, a juicy story like that spread like wildfire. And you were realizing just how deadly that can turn out to be.

''Hi! So, uh, how are your classes going along everykitty?'' You purr, joining the usual group of John, Rose, Dave, and Jade. Rose stares off into the distance, the same ghastly scent of sour liquor permeating off of her. Her amethyst eyes have a misty look to them, so you decide it' best to leave her alone. John passes you a nervous smile; he avoids your gaze, shifting uncomfortably. It's obvious he knows. The only one kind enough to reply is Jade, whose hand is intertwined with Dave's. A dull pain twists your heart.

''Hey there Neyomi! How's everything going?'' Her twinkling bright green eyes gaze at you, and you wish you could tell her everything right then and there. That you want to have a normal life, have someone who cares about you. You're tired of watching other people of being happy. You're tired of being the only one left out. Instead, you grin and put on a bubbly expression.

''Everything is going great!'' Jade nods, never letting go of Dave's hand.

You never speak to her again after that morning.

* * *

The sun's fierce glare lights up the school courtyard, where an ocean of judging stares force you to hold your breath. Meenah idly follows you, though you can see she's tense; usually she would stay behind at a respectable distance, but now that you're the focus of everyone's undeniable attention. Their rigid faces blur together, forming a painting of support, hate, sympathy, and pity. You keep your head down, doodling in your shipping note book; you didn't want this. You just wanted a fairy tale ending, where everyone is happy and the heroine makes every right move. But this is reality.

There is no such thing as happy endings.

''Neyomi, I know about this little situation of yours. '' Meenah says dully, as if the whole thing was a joke. Her eyes focus on yours, and you find yourself stopping, taking in her words as if they were the last drops of water on this planet. ''And let me just tell you, it won't be easy. But you can't give up. I'm still fighting that batter witch and her stupid little army, and I'm not going to stop just yet. Never forget to keep on going, because that's the only you can win.''

Suddenly you're hit by an uncontrollable wave of giggles. Meenah shoots you a scowl. ''What's so funny? I was only trying to help!''

Her pouty expression only spurs you to laugh louder, gathering the attention of several students, who stare at you as if you're high on catnip. ''Heehee, it's just that I never imagined you would be the dramatic type!'' You sit down on the bench, attempting to catch your breath; Meenah smiles, taking a seat next to you. Maybe things won't turn out so bad after all.

A few hours later, you find yourself strolling along the usual path to home. Meenah's long dyed braids swish next to you, occasionally whipping you like some furious snake. Seriously, she should cut her hair sometime. You've been mercilessly assaulted by those things way too many times. She lugs her backpack behind her, the wheels bumping on the slight hills and cracks of the sidewalk; and by backpack, you mean luggage carrier.

''So where's this house of yours? I bet it's there's going to be at least a dozen cats waiting for us there.'' Meenah says playfully, shading her eyes with one hand. You smile, skipping happily alongside her, babbling on about how your house looks, how nice your parents are, and that Meula can make a pretty rad dinner if she's at home. Around the bend towards your way home, seven bulky figures crowd around the shadows, casting dark glares at anything that moves. Meenah abruptly grabs the collar of your jacket and pulls you to the side, hiding behind the wall surrounding the quaint neighborhood, only a couple feet away from the men. Her rapid breathing and wide eyes tell you these thugs aren't only out for a nice stroll.

''Those guys... they work for my mom. They're probably here for you and maybe even me.'' Her hands release you, shoving her light luggage carrier into your grasp. ''Take this and run. I can distract them long enough for you to find a place safe enough to hide at. Preferably somewhere they wouldn't have a fucking clue about, okay?'' You shake your head. You're not going to abandon your friend!

''No, you're coming with me...!'' You hiss. Meenah scowls, a thin layer of sweat forming on her tanned skin.

''Seriously, don't so this right now...! Go already!'' She whispers angrily. A hulking silhouette casts a wide shadow over you, blocking the sun itself. The man wears a fedora along with a rather large scowl, a menacing gun in his right hand. He walks up to Meenah, who is still insisting you make a break for it.

Too late now.

''What are you two ladies talking about?'' He asks casually. You hiss, grabbing Meenah by the wrist before she's hit by the butt of his gun. She stumbles towards you and ogles the man with terror. In a few seconds, both of you come to a silent conclusion. It's time to get the hell out of there!

You back away from the formidable man slowly, looking over your shoulder at Meenah; the both of you sprint out of the tight situation, breathlessly pumping your legs to escape the clutches of the mafia men. Jumping over a stray gash in the sidewalk, you can hear the thunder of the men's footsteps draw nearer, pounding on the sidewalk. Unfortunately for you, it's not rush hour yet nor is it early enough in the day for anyone to be driving in such a peaceful place in the city; you almost trip over your own feet when a stray bullet whizzes past your face. After this, you are thanking karma for your good luck.

''Come back here, you little brat!'' One of the men shout, reloading his gun and aiming it hastily. You duck, covering your head instinctively. A hail storm of bullets fly past you, all either missing their desperately dashing mark or leaving you with bleeding cuts across your body.

''Ahh! Shit...!'' Meenah's yowl penetrates the cool fall air. The thunder arrives ever closer, closing the small gap steadily. You turn back, tears clouding your vision. You're not about to lose another person you care about. Not now.

Her leg is profusely bleeding, hot scarlet blood spilling onto the sidewalk. Luck wasn't with her. You heave her up, slinging her over your shoulders. Another gunshot. A bullet lodge itself into your abdomen, somewhere below. You don't care. You shield Meenah with your small body, beginning to feel your legs transform into leg; each stride feels like an eternity, with the rapid gunfire planting searing hot bullets into your tired bodies. The distant roar of a large truck catches your attention; you throw yourself onto the road, making a mad dash for the other side. You land in a bundle of bushes nearby; the thunder disappeared, disappearing as quickly as lightning. You hiss, the horrendous pain crawling up your sides. Meenah is barely hanging on, her wounded shoulder and leg disabling her; when you position her against the wall, you can plainly see she's unconscious. Shallow breaths escape chapped lips, the dark earth stained with blood; it makes you want to hurl. Before you give yourself the chance to rest, you shakily get on your knees, peering out into the near quiet neighborhood streets.

The dark men are still there. They shuffle past your hiding spot, grumbling angrily. _Ha, serves them right!_ You sigh, leaning against the cool wall, safely hidden in the thick underbrush for now. A nice little catnap wouldn't hurt. Your eyes close almost immediately, drowning you in darkness.

* * *

**Golly, that chapter took way too long. Though I think it was pretty good one, don't you think? Some reviews would be helpful, since I want to know whether I'm portraying Nepeta correctly. She didn't get much spot light in the comic, so it kinda makes it hard to get the full view of her.**

**THANKS FOR READING!**


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